I'm anxious to go back and re-watch the game, but here are a few of my initial takeaways.
1) BYU's run game is dreadfully predictable. If it is from the I formation with Kariya, it's a dive. If it is the I formation with JJ it is a stretch handoff. If they are two backs in the spread and it is a positive yardage situation, there is a 75% chance that they are running the trap. If it is the first play coming off of a turnover and they are lined up in the I, they are going play action and going up top. If they are lined up in the I with Hague as the fullback, there is a greater than 50% chance that it is play action. Seriously, I am going to make a decision tree playcalling chart in my spare time this weekend, and I would bet it would be pretty accurate. Note that this isn't just based on this years playcalling. Its been building up over the last, oh, five years or so. Having said that...
2) I thought offensively they did a good job today putting guys in positions to make plays. Heaps throws were a little more on today, and the receivers actually did a good job of helping him out. Both TD passes the receivers made plays with Hoffman doing a good job going and getting the ball (almost had two more as well) and Ashworth turning a short pass into a 40-yard TD. There were still a few drops (Muehlman had one early, so did Matthews and JJ off the top of my head) but they did a better job catching balls that weren't necessarily perfectly thrown. I felt like they did a good job of getting receivers open and in positions to make plays. I really liked them moving Heaps around a little bit, and the out and up to McKay that looked "so" close was a great call. I thought it was a catch he could have made from my view, so I'm interested in seeing the replay. But I think that today's performance was the type that we thought we would see from Heaps a little earlier this year.
3) I think the biggest factor in the win today though, is that UNLV is absolutely a terrible team and BYU finally got a week to get healthy and be ready to play. The result was a dominating performance that this team needed IMO. That isn't meant to take anything away from BYU, because they didn't make many/any mistakes. The same BYU team needs to show up next week against Colorado State, and we should be bowling.
1) BYU's run game is dreadfully predictable. If it is from the I formation with Kariya, it's a dive. If it is the I formation with JJ it is a stretch handoff. If they are two backs in the spread and it is a positive yardage situation, there is a 75% chance that they are running the trap. If it is the first play coming off of a turnover and they are lined up in the I, they are going play action and going up top. If they are lined up in the I with Hague as the fullback, there is a greater than 50% chance that it is play action. Seriously, I am going to make a decision tree playcalling chart in my spare time this weekend, and I would bet it would be pretty accurate. Note that this isn't just based on this years playcalling. Its been building up over the last, oh, five years or so. Having said that...
2) I thought offensively they did a good job today putting guys in positions to make plays. Heaps throws were a little more on today, and the receivers actually did a good job of helping him out. Both TD passes the receivers made plays with Hoffman doing a good job going and getting the ball (almost had two more as well) and Ashworth turning a short pass into a 40-yard TD. There were still a few drops (Muehlman had one early, so did Matthews and JJ off the top of my head) but they did a better job catching balls that weren't necessarily perfectly thrown. I felt like they did a good job of getting receivers open and in positions to make plays. I really liked them moving Heaps around a little bit, and the out and up to McKay that looked "so" close was a great call. I thought it was a catch he could have made from my view, so I'm interested in seeing the replay. But I think that today's performance was the type that we thought we would see from Heaps a little earlier this year.
3) I think the biggest factor in the win today though, is that UNLV is absolutely a terrible team and BYU finally got a week to get healthy and be ready to play. The result was a dominating performance that this team needed IMO. That isn't meant to take anything away from BYU, because they didn't make many/any mistakes. The same BYU team needs to show up next week against Colorado State, and we should be bowling.
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